Celtics Journal: Little-used Yabusele gets guaranteed money

BOSTON — The Celtics' front office had three decisions to make on Wednesday.

Two of them were about as easy as it gets.

One of them was a bit of a leap of faith in hopes of a big payoff over the next two years.

With the final day of October came the need to exercise options on three guaranteed first-round rookie contracts on the roster. Committing to a fourth year for two-year starter Jaylen [...]

BOSTON — The Celtics' front office had three decisions to make on Wednesday.

Two of them were about as easy as it gets.

One of them was a bit of a leap of faith in hopes of a big payoff over the next two years.

With the final day of October came the need to exercise options on three guaranteed first-round rookie contracts on the roster. Committing to a fourth year for two-year starter Jaylen Brown and a third year for budding superstar Jayson Tatum were automatics. But what was not so certain was whether a team now in the luxury tax for the foreseeable future would commit $3.1 million — not counting the tax penalty it will have to pay to the league — to keep seldom-used Guerschon Yabusele in tow.

Yet, despite a limited sample size on Yabusele’s NBA ability, the Celtics informed the 22-year-old Frenchman on Wednesday that the next year of his contract was being guaranteed.

“It felt great,” Yabusele said prior to Thursday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden. “I was really, really happy that they picked up the option.”

Drafted with the 16th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Yabusele spent his first pro season in China and with the Maine Red Claws of the G-League as the Celtics sought to preserve his rights without having to reserve him a roster spot. Last year, he signed with the team and appeared in 33 regular-season games, with four starts, averaging 2.4 points in 7.1 minutes per contest.

Entering Thursday night, he had played in five of seven games this season, averaging 0.8 points in just 3.6 minutes per night.

“It is hard sometimes,” he said of the sparse playing time. “I am not going to lie. Basketball is everything to me. It’s what I do all the time. It is hard to sit on the bench.

“But I’ve got to understand when you come to a team like the Boston Celtics the role is going to be different. I’ve got to understand my role and be ready when I’m going to have [a chance] to step on the court.”

Celtics coach Brad Stevens told reporters following the morning shootaround that, while the decision to exercise the option was above his head, he is happy to have the 6-foot-8-inch forward/center locked up through next year.

“He's young,” Stevens said, “and when you have his ability to move with his skill set, and knowledge of how to play, it makes a lot of sense and fits the modern NBA.”

While the deal could also prove useful in facilitating matching salaries in a potential trade, Yabusele said he is hopeful he will be able to contribute to this team winning games for at least the next two seasons.

“I am just a happy person,” he said. “I try to be on the court and have fun, help the guys, be a good teammate in and out of the court. Just stay positive.”

Brown ruled out

Brown, who on Wednesday was deemed questionable for Thursday’s game because of a sore right foot, tested the foot for about 20 minutes before the game, shooting on the parquet floor, but was ruled out for the contest.

“He said he felt a little bit better,” Stevens said. “But they decided to hold him out tonight. Sounds like he’ll be day-to-day.

“Obviously, if he were available to play, he would play. Our medical team always makes those decisions. If he’s sore at all, I think it’s the prudent decision.”

Semi Ojeleye started in Brown’s place.

Connaughton returns

Pat Connaughton, a native of Arlington, Mass., and a former standout at Notre Dame, was back in Boston Thursday with the Bucks.

Connaughton spent the first three years of his career in Portland with the Trail Blazers before the 2015 second-round pick signed with Milwaukee this past summer.

Connaughton appears to have found a consistent role with the Bucks early in the season — averaging 6.4 points and 5.4 rebounds off the bench in 14.2 minutes per game. “Except for being from Boston, he’s been great,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “The Red Sox thing got a little old after a while."

“But he’s been great. He really fits the way we play. He moves well off the ball. He’s got athleticism. He’s shooting [3-pointers at 35.7 percent]. Then I think defensively he’s getting after it. He’s helping us on the defensive boards. He’s just got a great energy and demeanor about him. You can’t have enough guys like Pat on the team.”